1909-11 T206 Willie Keeler (With Bat)
1909–11 T206 Willie Keeler
New York Highlanders · American League · 150-350 print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Willie Keeler (“With Bat” pose) is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Willie Keeler, a member of the historic New York Highlanders (American League), and was printed in the 150-350 series, known with 5 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1565 examples have been graded, with only 39 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Willie Keeler
A Brooklyn native and son of Irish immigrants, "Wee Willie" Keeler stood just 5-foot-4½ and 140 pounds, yet became one of the greatest hitters of the deadball era. He broke into pro ball with Binghamton of the Eastern League in 1892, leading the circuit at .373 before the New York Giants bought his contract. Settling in as a right fielder, Keeler starred for the raucous Baltimore Orioles dynasty of 1894-1898, which captured three straight National League pennants (1894-96) and the 1896 Temple Cup. He later played for the Brooklyn Superbas (1899-1902) and the New York Highlanders (1903-1909). A choke-up, place-hitting master, he won batting titles in 1897 and 1898, and in 1897 hit .424 — still the highest single-season average by a left-handed batter — while compiling a 44-game hitting streak that stood as the major-league record until Joe DiMaggio's 56 in 1941. Keeler retired with a .341 career average and 2,932 hits, about 85 percent of them singles. His maxim "Keep your eye clear and hit 'em where they ain't" endures as baseball's classic hitting advice; the nickname "Wee Willie" came from newspaper writers echoing the children's rhyme about his tiny stature. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939. Keeler is one of the marquee Hall-of-Fame names in the famed T206 White Border set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (5)
Chip colour marks each back's rarity tier. See the full T206 back rarity ranking →
Population (PSA · SGC)
| Grader | Total | NM 7+ | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 & Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 899 | 30 | 43 | 106 | 179 | 148 | 200 | 193 |
| SGC | 666 | 9 | 5 | 41 | 79 | 146 | 128 | 258 |
NM 7+ bundles grades 7–10; 1 & Auth bundles grade 1, 1.5 & Authentic. Totals are subject-level (summed across all backs). Population as of 2026-06.
PSA by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Piedmont 1909 | 181 |
| Piedmont | 176 |
| Sweet Caporal | 87 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 76 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 67 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 49 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 16 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 14 |
| Old Mill | 13 |
| Sovereign | 12 |
| El Principe de Gales | 10 |
| Unknown back | 198 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| El Principe de Gales 1909-11 | 13 |
| Old Mill 1909-11 | 9 |
| Piedmont 1909 | 272 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 112 |
| Sovereign 1909 | 22 |
| Sovereign 1910 | 31 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909 | 149 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 2 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 56 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Willie Keeler card?
The Willie Keeler (With Bat) is one of 524 subjects in the T206 "White Border" tobacco set issued 1909-1911, the hobby's most iconic vintage set (nicknamed "The Monster"). It pictures the New York Highlanders player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 5 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 1565 examples of the Willie Keeler have been graded, with only 39 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Willie Keeler come with?
The Willie Keeler is confirmed with 5 tobacco-brand backs: El Principe de Gales, Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign, Sweet Caporal. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Willie Keeler valuable?
Value depends heavily on the back brand and the card's grade: common backs in low grade trade modestly, while scarce backs and high grades command strong premiums. Check the current T206 Cards listings and eBay options above for live pricing.
Other poses of Willie Keeler
More New York Highlanders cards
Sources: t206resource.com, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and Inside T206 by Scot Reader. Card data & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.